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EDW. D. DIEROLF 



SWIMMING 



BE YOUR OWN INSTRUCTOR 

BY 

EDW. D. DIEROLF 

INSTRUCTOR OF SWIMMING 
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN 



f|? 



H. C. MILLER COMPANY, Publishers 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 



lis 



Copyrighted 

1915 by 

Edw. D. Dierolf 



)CI,A411041 



AUG 13 1915 



INDEX 

Pages 

Arm Positions on Land - - - 8-11 

Arm Movements in Water - - - - - - 13-15 

Arm Stroke, Complete - - - - - - 16, 17 

Arm and Leg Movements Combined - - - - 20, 21 

Breathing ------- ._ 7 

Confidence --------- 6 

Important Remarks - - ----- 12 

Leg Positions on Land ------ $-H 

Leg Movements, Complete ----- - 18, 19 

Combined Leg and Arm Movements - - - - 20, 21 



INTRODUCTION. 
CONFIDENCE 

T HAVE endeavored to write this book to show the public how 

easy it is to learn the art of swimming, that is, after you 
have gained your confidence in the water. But confidence you 
must acquire if you ever hope to become a swimmer. 

Using this book as an instructor, every father and mother 
should be able to teach their children how to swim. I say every 
father and mother, because I believe it to be the. duty of all par- 
ents to teach their children, as we ( ll as themselves, not to be 
afraid of the water. 

If you trace the different cases of drowning to their founda- 
tion you will find that in all cases, except those caused by heart 
failure and in reality this is no case of drowning, you will find 
that it was due to fear and incorrect breathing. 

Let me repeat: to become a good swimmer you must gain 
confidence in the water. This should be taught from babyhood. 
The mother has a wonderful opportunity to teach this if she 
would only broaden her view in regard to the babe's bath. 
Every mother while giving the baby its bath has had the little 
experience of the child -"getting water up the nose." 

Right here lies the starting point for them to gain that 
wonderful confidence, which in later years will prove that the 
child is as safe in the water as it is on land. Usually the moth- 
er becomes frightened and does not know what to do. She 
takes the babe out of the bath, pats it on the back and some- 
times even tries to shake the little body, hoping that by so doing 
the water will come out of the nostrils. 

Don't do this because you are giving the child the wrong 
start in life. In fact you are teaching it to fear the water. The 
right thing to do is to show it how to blow the water out of the 
nose as soon as the head rises above the water. This can easily 
be done by taking a breath through the mouth and forcing it 
out of the nostrils. Always have the child clear the nose before 
attempting to take another breath. Another very wise act to 
fulfill is to have the child put its face below water every morn- 
ing. By repeating this it will become accustomed to that sensa- 
tion and will unconsciously clear its nose, as described above. 

It is that terrible sensation which naturally forces the child 
to become timid and lose its confidence. If it knew how to 
breathe correctly and to clear the nose, in a short time, it will 
learn to like the water. 



BREATHING 

SUPPOSING you have not been taught how to gain coufidence, 
when you were a child. Then you must remember, "You 
are never too old to learn." 

Don't go to the water and give another person a ducking. 
Usually the new beginner will come up with the nose filled with 
water. Not knowing how to clear the nose and to take a correct 
breath, they will naturally inhale through the nose. This will 
choke the person, and in their struggle, gasping for air, will 
swallow the water, which, when entering the lungs, will force 
them to go under. After the lungs are filled with water the 
body will never rise to the surface again. It is the air in the 
lungs which makes the body rise. If you have never had the 
experience of getting water in the nose, try to have someone 
"duck" you, then you will find out what a terrible sensation it 
is. Ducking is the worst act one can perform on another per- 
son, providing that party does not know "correct breathing." 
It will force them to lose their confidence, for they have experi- 
enced the first step of drowning. 

The way to learn correct breathing is to wade out into the 
water until it reaches the chest. Then take a short breath 
through the mouth, hold it and then duck your head below the 
water. Come up, and clear your nose before you ever attempt 
to take another breath. To clear the nose give the head a 
snappy turn from side to side, and at the same time force the 
breath through the nostrils. Now you are ready to inhale 
through the mouth again. Hold the breath, and repeat as 
described above. 

If you have mastered breathing you will never lose your 
coufidence in water, not even if you should be caught by 
some unexpected wave. Your lesson on breathing will come to 
you, as quick as a flash, and unconsciously you will clear your 
nose before taking the next breath through the mouth. 

As you will note, the process of breathing in swimming is 
just the opposite of what you have been taught in walking or 
any other physical exercise. While in swimming, you inhale 
and exhale only^ through the mouth. This is done with every 
stroke as described in under "Important Remarks." 



POSITIONS ON LAND 



The following movements should be practised at home until 
you know them as well as your A-B-C's. 

Take your first position as shown in Fig. 1. 




FIGURE 1 



Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend 
your arms full length in front of you with hands and fingers to- 
gether, palms turned downward. 



POSITIONS ON LAND 



After taking position No. 1 you are ready for the first stroke 
with your hands, as shown below. 




FIGURE 2 
COUNT 1 



Spread your arms to the side as if drawing a semi-circle. 
There is no movement of the legs on Count 1. 



POSITIONS ON LAND 




FIGURE 3 
COUNT 2 



Bring your hands together in front of you. Elbows touch- 
ing the sides of your body. 

Legs should be slightly drawn under the body with knees 
apart. 



10 



POSITIONS ON LAND 




FIGURE 4 
COUNT 3 



Eeach forward with hands together and palms turned 
downward. 

Spread your legs to the side and bring them together with 
force. 



IMPORTANT REMARKS 

|~^\0 not go into the water until you have fully mastered these 
strokes on land. First take the arm movement as shown in 
the foregoing figures. Practice these thoroughly. Then take the 
leg movement and do likewise. I would advise you to take these 
exercises separately. Take position I, then try the arm and then 
the leg movements. If you care to take a stool or bench, lie 
down on it and practice them together. 

Supposing you have now learned the movements perfectly. 
The next thing to do is to practice breathing with your arm 
strokes. As I have said before, you must take a breath with 
each stroke. This is done by inhaling when you spread your 
arms to the side, as shown in Fig. II, and exhaling when 
you reach forward, as in Fig. IV. Don't breath through the 
nose. Inhale and exhale through the mouth in accordance with 
your stroke. That is, if your stroke is short, you inhale and 
exhale faster; if your stroke is long and slow your breathing 
is slow. 

Should you not heed these instructions, your breathing 
and stroke will be irregular and will force you to become 
fatigued. With a long even stroke and correct breathing you will 
soon develope into a long-distance swimmer. 

Go into the water, place a pair of "water wings" I>elow your 
chest, lie down, taking position I. Relax all your muscles and 
try to lie perfectly quiet. Now you are ready to take your first 
arm movement in the water. 

WARNING 

Be careful, that while practicing the stroke with water- 
wings, to stay in shallow water. 

Always strive while practicing, to acquire a strong, easy, 
graceful stroke. 

After you feel confident that you can make several strokes 
without the water-wings, put them aside, and start out swimming 
just as easily and gracefully as before, always remembering to 
stay in shallow water. 

When you find that you are able to swim about ten easy 
strokes, try a time test. You will notice that a numb feeling 
comes over you after swimming about five minutes. However 
do not leave this discourage you. Keep right on until you are re- 
lieved of that feeling. After that you will be able to swim for 
sometime. 



ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER 

FIRST POSITION FOR THE 
"BREAST TO WATER STROKE" 




FIGURE 5 



Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend 
your arms full length in front of you with hands and fingers to- 
gether, palms turned downward. 

Note:— After taking position 5 you are ready for the first 
stroke with your arms. 



ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER 




FIGURE 6 
COUNT 1 



Spread your arms to the sides, as if drawing a semicircle. 
Shown above. 

Notice: — In the arm movement, although you count one, 
two and three, there should not be any stop to break the move- 
ment. It should be one regular, easy movement. 

While counting use the expressions written under the move- 
ments in "Full Arm Stroke," (Pages 20 and 21.) 



ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER 



s v 



Vater - ■ 

Lint- 




FIGURE 7 
COUNT 2 



Press your hands down about six inches in the water, bend 
your elbows and draw your hands together below your chin. 
Elbows touching the sides of your body. This movement raises 
the head and allows you to take another breath. 




FIGURE 8 
COUNT 3 



Extend your arms straight in front of you as though reach- 
ing, with hands together and palms turned downward. 



ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER 
COMPLETE ARM STROKE 




FIGURE 5 



Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend 
your arms full length in front of you with hands and ringers 
together, palms turned downward. 




FIGURE 6 



First Count— Spread your arms to the side. 



ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER 
COMPLETE ARM STROKE 




FIGURE 7 



Second Count — Press your hands down in the water and 
draw them together below your chin. 




FIGURE 8 

Third Count — Extend your arms straight in front of you 
with hands together. 



LEG MOVEMENTS 



The leg movements consist of but two counts. 
Take position as shown in Figure 5. 




FIGURE 5 



Notice: — The leg movement commences with Count 2. On 
Count 1 the legs remain in the position as shown above. 
Count 2 and 3 should be one even, continuous stroke. 



LEG MOVEMENTS 




O 



FIGURE 9 
COUNT 2 



Slightly draw your knees under your body. Your heels 
should be together and your knees apart. 




FIGURE 10 
COUNT 3 

Spread your legs out to the sides as far as you can without 
causing a strain, and draw them together with force. 

Note: — Bringing legs together with force is what sends you 
forward. 



COMPLETE SWIMMING STROKE 

ARM AND LEG MOVEMENTS 
COMBINED 




FIGURE 5 



Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend 
your arms full length in front of you with hands and fingers to- 
gether, palms turned downward. 




FIGURE 6 
COUNT 1 



Spread your arms out to the sides as though drawing a 
semicircle. 



COMPLETE SWIMMING STROKE 

ARM AND LEG MOVEMENTS 
COMBINED 



Water 
Line 







FIGURE 11 
COUNT 2 



Press your hands down in the water about six inches and 
draw them together below your chin, elbows touching the sides- 
of your body. Then slightly draw your knees under your body. 




Line 






FIGURE 12 
COUNT 3 



Reach forward; spread your legs out to the sides and draw 
them together with force. Do not stop on the sides while 
spreading legs apart. 



AUG 11 1915 



